REVEAL AD ‐ Prevalence of Moderate and Severe Atopic Dermatitis in Ireland: A Cross‐ Sectional, Real World Study of a Secondary Care Population

ABSTRACT Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease. However, limited data exist on its prevalence and incidence in Irish secondary care. Objectives REVEAL AD had two distinct but related objectives: (1) Estimate prevalence of moderate‐to‐severe AD in patients aged 12 years and older presenting to secondary care clinics in Ireland, and (2) Evaluate disease control and associated disease burden amongst patients diagnosed with moderate or severe AD treated in secondary care dermatology clinics in Ireland, via a cross‐sectional, non‐interventional multi‐centre study. Methods In Part One, aggregated 6‐month data from 3 secondary care Dermatology clinics in Munster were used to estimate prevalence based on routine visits of patients with moderate‐to‐severe AD. For Part Two, eligible patients attending one of four Irish Dermatology centres were invited to participate. Consented patients attended a single routine study visit. Disease activity was assessed using SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), Body Surface Area (BSA), and patient quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) or Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). Results Overall prevalence rate for moderate‐to‐severe AD patients treated in secondary care in Ireland was estimated as 2.893 patients per 10,000 people in the Irish population. Prevalence rates (95% CI) for moderate and severe AD were 1.456 (1.236, 1.704) and 1.437 (1.218, 1.683) per 10,000, respectively. Mean BSA, SCORAD and EASI values for the moderate and severe groups were 39.0, 46.8, 19.6 and 32.8, 45.2, 14.9, respectively. Mean DLQI (SD) scores for the moderate and severe groups were 10.8 (6.96) and 11.6 (8.92), respectively. Conclusions Only a very small proportion of patients with AD have accessed secondary care clinics in Ireland. Outcomes in secondary care are sub‐optimal, with both moderate and severe AD patient cohorts reporting a ‘severe' effect on their quality of life.